


[Meta] Pricing Up Hogwarts

by cassie5squared



Series: Potter Meta: Thoughts on the Wizarding World [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 10:37:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11057193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassie5squared/pseuds/cassie5squared
Summary: This is a consideration of how much it might actually cost to attend Hogwarts, based on my thoughts regarding a very poorly thought-out costing done by the TV news channel CNN.





	[Meta] Pricing Up Hogwarts

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [CNN Costing](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/294795) by CNN. 



> Please bear in mind this was originally written several years ago without the benefit of certain resources that may have popped up since, and using the exchange rates available at the time.

So, we’ve all wondered how much it’d really cost to go to Hogwarts, right? I’m sure loads of people have seen the ridiculous costing CNN pulled out of their ass once.

(Pictured: the ridiculous costing CNN pulled out of their ass once.)

I was discussing this quite some time ago with a friend when we were discussing how much it would cost her OC to get all his school gear. As we couldn’t find any reliable sources at the time, I decided to use up a few idle hours working it out myself.

I went into Pottermore, the Potter Wiki, and any other sources that I could conveniently lay my hands on, and also found a handy online conversion program, and set to work trying to estimate the prices.

And the results are as follows, shown in wizarding money, pounds sterling (the UK currency) and US dollars.

The average cost of a full kitting-out for the first year of Hogwarts would be 65 Galleons, or around £320/ $500 in today’s money. Back in the 1970s (Marauder-era) I’m fairly sure it would be a different exchange rate (the UK introduced decimalisation in 1971, which caused a fairly big shift in how Muggle currency worked), but we don’t have anything other than JKR’s rather vague approximations to go by, so I’m going to take a wild leap based on my very sketchy knowledge of the past currency and inflation in the UK and say that in the 70s it’d be closer to £200-250 ($310-390). Buying second-hand can always reduce that though.  
  
Here’s my _**estimation**_ of the realistic prices, broken down:

Tuition - NOTHING. Hogwarts is the UK wizarding equivalent of a state/public school and **there is no tuition fee to attend!**  
Three sets of plain black robes - 9 Galleons new, 3 Galleons 5 Sickles second-hand  
One plain pointed hat - 2 Galleons new, 9 Sickles second-hand  
One pair of protective gloves - 2 Galleons new, 12 Sickles second-hand  
One winter cloak - 4 Galleons new, 1 Galleon 4 Sickles second-hand  
Books - 13 Galleons in total for the eight of them* when new, 2 Galleons 14 Sickles second-hand  
One pewter cauldron - 15 Galleons new, 10 Galleons second-hand (you do need a good-quality cauldron, especially as a first-year where accidents are common)  
One set of glass phials - 3 Galleons new, 1 Galleon second-hand  
One telescope - 5 Galleons new, 3 Galleons 8 Sickles second-hand  
One set of brass scales - 3 Galleons new, 1 Galleon 16 Sickles second-hand  
Basic potions ingredients - 2 Galleons  
Wand - 7 Galleons  
  
Totals: Full price 65 Galleons/ £320/ $500.  
Second-hand: 33 Galleons, 16 Sickles, 28 Knuts/ £170/ $265

That is far more reasonable than the absurd $43425 total in the original image (which equates to around £27,800, if anyone was interested). It sounds about right for someone starting a new school at age eleven in the UK, especially with some of the specialist equipment.

And yes, I know I left out things like quills and parchment, because those are fairly cheap, and are things that most families would have around anyway and thus aren’t a school-specific item.

Feel free to add your own comments, thoughts, etc. - I’d love to see what other people come up with, and if this was of any help to anyone.

**Author's Note:**

> * The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
> A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
> Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
> A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
> One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore  
> Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
> Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
> The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble


End file.
